Why All the Smart Girls are Buying Their Fall Coats Now

Usually cozying up with a coffee and the fun sections of the newspaper (style, weddings, gadgets, arts) is a relaxing activity, but last weekend, it gave me some anxiety. It was the Wall Street Journal‘s fault, particularly this piece, which made me feel like I’ve missed my opportunity to nail the perfect fall coat even though it’s only August.

The points were clear and hard-hitting: with the way that brands’ production and delivery schedules work, most fall coats are already in stores now, so there’s only going to be less stock to pick from come November or December. And since coats are big-ticket items for stores to buy, they’re not as willing to put them on sale in the middle of their peak season as they are, say, bathing suits in July.

So instead, all you’re left with when you decide you need a new coat in the finger-nipping days of January is an anemic selection of randomly sized coats. Full-priced, too. It’s a strong case for coat shopping now, even when it’s still sticking-to-the-car-seat weather outside. Counterintuitive, yes, but sneakily smart? Absolutely. Above, the fall coats we’re really loving right now.